Local product Young blasts CCU past Blue Devils 10-6

Conway High product G.K. Young was 3-for-5 – only one double shy of the cycle – and drove in four runs to lead #19 Coastal Carolina (4-2) to a 10-6 victory over Duke (4-3) Sunday afternoon at Springs Brooks Stadium as part of the 17th Annual Caravelle Resort’s Baseball at the Beach.

This year’s Baseball at the Beach will conclude Monday with a rematch between the Chanticleers and Ohio State with first pitch set for 4 pm. The Buckeyes are 5-1-1 and claimed a 6-4 decision versus Coastal on Saturday.

Young tied the game in the third inning with a two-run home run, gave CCU a 6-4 lead in the fifth with a two-triple and capped CCU’s scoring as he singled, and later scored, in the seventh.

Coastal’s offense was aided by Anthony Marks, Michael Paez and Connor Owings, each of whom had two hits with Paez adding two RBI as well.

Duke took advantage of an error and wild pitch to score three runs in the second inning. Cris Perez drew a leadoff walk and moved to second on a Zack Kone single. Evan Dougherty reached on an error, allowing Perez to score and putting Kone and Dougherty on third and second, respectively. Griffin Conine plated Kone on an RBI ground out and Dougherty later scored on a wild pitch.

Coastal tied the game at 3-3 in the bottom of the third. Billy Cooke reached on a one-out walk. Two batters later, Paez hit an RBI double to bring home Cooke. Young followed with a two-run blast off the Boni Belle Hitting Facility in left center field to knot the game at 3-3.

The Blue Devils responded with a run in the top of the fourth. Kone started the frame with an infield single and moved to third on a Dougherty single to right field. Conine’s fly ball to center field was deep enough to bring home Kone for a sacrifice fly and 4-3 Duke lead.

The Chanticleers got singles from Matt Beaird, Marks and Paez – the last being an RBI – to tie the game at 4-4 in the fifth. After seeing 11 pitches – fouling off eight, Young ripped a two-run triple to right center field for a 6-4 lead. Zach Remillard followed with an infield single to push the CCU lead to 7-4.

Coastal took a 9-4 lead in the sixth. Seth Lancaster and Cooke walked. After a bunt, the pair moved up 90 feet. Lancaster scored on a wild pitch and Cooke later scored when Paez, who was hit by a pitch, was caught in a rundown trying to steal second.

Duke trimmed its deficit to three, 9-6, with two runs in the top of the seventh. Justin Bellinger, Max Miller and Jimmy Herron had consecutive singles to load the bases. Bellinger scored on an RBI ground out by Peter Zyla. Jack Labosky then hit a sacrifice fly to drive in Miller.

Coastal answered with a run in the bottom of the seventh. Young hit a leadoff single, moved to second on a wild pitch and took third on a ground out. Owings guided a high chopper over the third baseman’s head for an RBI single and 10-6 CCU lead.

Duke loaded the bases and brought the tying run to the plate in the ninth inning before Bobby Holmes induced a game-ending ground out to earn his first save of the season.

Chanticleer starting pitcher Tyler Poole (2-0) earned the win. He allowed five hits and four runs (one earned) with two walks and five strikeouts in 5.2 innings pitched. Duke’s Brain McAfee (0-1) suffered the loss as he allowed nine hits and seven runs with a walk and three strikeouts.